Traveling-bucket apparatus.



l. C. FRENCH.

TRAVELING BUCKET APPARATUS. APPLlcATloN man FEB. 15, 1915.

LMLM@ Patentedsept. 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET ll. C. FRENCH.

TRAvELnyG BUCKET APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15. 19|5.

Lml Patented sept. 25,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNE il.

" ATT FIQE.

.IAMES C. FRENCH, 015 KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK C. AUSTIN, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRAVELING-BUCKET APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known'that I, JAMES C. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Kenosha, Kenosha county, Wisconsin, 510 Exchange street, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Traveling-Bucket Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for conveying materials from one point to another, and more particularly to the apparatus of this kind which is commonly employed for carrying the mixture from a concrete mixer, or other mixing machinefto the point where it is desired to discharge the same on the street, as in putting down different kinds of paving, and especially those in which a bucket which travels on a movable'track or `boom is employed for this purpose.

Generally stated, the object of the. invention is to provide a novel and improved arrangement or construction for causing the bucket to automatically discharge its load, when the direction of travel of the bucket is reversed, after reaching the dumping position or place where the load is desired, thereby to facilitate the handling of the materials, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

It is also an object to provide a bucket of this character and mode of operation with simple and eiiicient mechanism of improved form and which can be controlled at will for causing the bucket to automatically gravitate into dumping position, as by tilting about a horizontal axis, after the point of discharge is cached, and when the direction of travel f the bucket is reversed by the reversal of movement of the cables or other operating connections thereof.

Another object is to provide certain details and Jfeatures of construction and combinations tending to increase the general efficiency and serviceability of a lconveyer bucket and apparatus of this particular character, and whereby, for example, the bucket may be turned around about a vertical axis and dumped anywhere along the path of travel thereof.

To the foregoing and other useful ends this invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the principles of this invention, showing the same arranged for delivering the materials from a concrete mixer, or other mixing machine, to a point some distance therefrom.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on line 2 2 in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4f is a vertical section on line in Fig. 2.

It will be observed that Figs. 3 and 4 are on a smaller scale than Fig. 2, but on a larger scale than Fig. 1.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a body frame A disposed adjacent the discharge spout B of a concrete mixer, or other mixing machine, of any suitable character. A vertical swivel a is mounted on saidbody frame, in any suitable manner, and the track or runway C, which is in the form of a swinging boom, has its proximal end pivoted at 0 to the lower end of said swivel, whereby said boomis, adapted to swing from side to lside about said swivel as an axis, and also up and down about said pivot. Any suitable means, such as the supporting rods D, provided with turn-buckles d, can be attached to the outer end of the boom for supporting the latter, as well as for raising and lowering the boom.

'Thebucket E is pivoted at e to the, lower ends of the bail F, which latter is provided with a vertical swivel f at its upper end, this swivel being in turn carried by a carriage G having wheels g which travel on said track or boom thereby to form a traveling carrier for the bucket. A front line or cable H is attached to the carriage G and travels around a sheave h at the outer end of the boom' and then back to the other end of the said track or boom where it then passes upward under a sheave I which is disposed immediately below the swivel. A lever J7 is pivoted at y' on the bail F and has a rear. line or cable K which extends upward therefrom and through the swivel f, thence over a sheave L of the carriage G, and then under another sheave similarv to the sheave I and adjacent the latter. These front and rear operating connections or lines H and K then pass upward through the swivel a, which latter is made `hollow for that purpose.

From this swivel the two lines or cables ment of the latter, when a pull is exertedV on the rear'hauling line K, serves to unlock the bucket. A spring S connects the outer .end of said latch Q with a bracket s on the bail of the bucket, whereby the said latch is yieldingly held in locking position, and is adapted to spring into the notch of the plate g when the bucket returns of its own accord to loading position, or to carrying position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4;,'a'nd after discharging its load. ,l

In this connection, it will be seen that the bucket is of such shape that the weight of the load is greater at one sideof the axisc than at the other side thereof, whereby the bucket gravitates downward at its longer or discharge end when unlocked.- A weight T on. the short side of the bucket then returns the latter to carrying position as soon as the bucket is relieved of its load.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the bucket automatically discharges its load when it reverses its direction of travel, after arriving at the desired point of discharge, and assoon as the initial pull on the line or l cable K by which it is returned to loading position in front of the vmixing machine. The swivels a and f, being hollow or provided with vertical bores, accommodate the said lines or operationl connections and, by thus keeping the latter substantially at the necessary axes of horizontal movement, permit the boom C and the bucket E to turn freely about these vertical axes at all times and whenever such movement is necessary in' order to facilitate the handling of the materials. In other words, the bucket can be freely moved about and.into the different positions necessary for conveniently 'receiving and discharging the load. Moreover, the bucket automatically discharges the load when it reaches the polnt of discharge, and then automatically returns tocarryin position, or rights itself, as soon as the oad is discharged. With the arrangement shown, the bucket can be made to turn around and discharge its load practically any where along the length of the swinging boom. When the` bucket returns to the mixer, it can be turned around to receive the load, regardless of the angle or direction of the boom or track.

The drums O and P are driven by a gearing T extending downward to the mixing machine V, which latter may be of any suit- The inner end of this any suitable power-transmitting connection,

the rotary mixerA drives the said drums.4

Suitable clutchmechanism W may be used for controlling this transmission of power, and for reverslng the motion at will to'move the bucket back and forth on the boom.

As shown, the swivel a'has a gearing V, such as a worm gearing, for swinging the boom from one side ,to the other. This gearing is also` operated by a belt .o leading' downward to some element operated by the errgine of the 'mixing machine.` Thus the boom is operated atthe proximal end and has its `distal end free to swing to either side of the machine.

Thus, it will be seen that the bucketE can not only travel back and forth to dump the load at any desiredpoint on the track,

but also that it can be swung laterally to carry the load to any desired-point on the ground, or on the street, within reach of the swinging track. The operating connections extend upward through the swivel a,.and

one of said connections, the line or cable K,

has a vertical port-ion which serves as the axis about which the bucket E is mounted to turn in order to face in any direction.

Consequently this line or cable K has .one

vertical portion which serves as the axis about which the track C swings in the horizontal plane, and another portion which serves as the vertical axis about which the bucket is free to turn on its swivel.

A bucket of this type has cert-ain advantages in connection .with a concrete mixer, inasmuch as a bucket of this kind does not leak. Buckets having doors or hinged gates have been found to be more or less objectionable' for this purpose, as the,

water in the mixture will-leak through in an objectionable manner, because the door or gate cannot be made watertight. Hence, as stated, a bucket such as shown, which has a water-tight body, is advantageous and desirable.

While the particular construction shown be made without departing from .the scope of the invention, and for the broader purposes thereof, the invention is not, therefore, limited to the exact construction shown and described.

What I claim as my invention is 1. An apparatus for conveying materials from one place to another, comprising a track,` a bucket, means traveling on said track to support the bucket, connections for operating said bucket back and forth on said track, and mechanism for automatically dumping the load by reversing the` motion of said bucket at any point in the path of on has raised the lever and thereby dumped the load, said mechanism having a support to engage said line above said lever.

2. An apparatus for conveying material from one place to another, comprising a track, a bucket, means traveling on said track to support the bucket, connections for operating said bucket back, and forth on said track, and mechanism for automatically dumping the load by reversing the motion of said bucket at any point in the path of travel thereof, said mechanism including a lever pivoted at one end thereof to extend crosswise of said bucket, and a latch operated by the raising of said lever to dump the load, said connections comprising a line attached to said lever and arranged for pulling said bucket back to loading position after the initial pull thereon has raised the lever and thereby dumped the load, said connections having relative movement to automatically dump the load at anypoint along said track.

3. An apparatus for conveying materials from o|ne place to another, comprising' a' track, a bucket, a carriage traveling on said track to support the bucket, connections for operating said bucket back and forth on said track, mechanism for automatically dumping the load by reversing the motion of said bucket at any point in the path of travel thereof, and means to automatically restore the bucket to carrying condition before it reaches the 4loading position, said bucket having a swivel carried on `said means, said connections including a line to operate said mechanism and pull the bucket backward, and said swivel containing a vertical portion of said line, so that upward movement of said line in said swivel operates said mechanism to dump the load, and means to operate said connections.

4. An apparatus for conveying materials from one place to another, comprisingv a track, a bucket, means traveling on said track to support the bucket, connect-ions for operating said bucket back and forth on said track, and mechanism -for automatically dumping the load by reversing the motion of said bucket at any point in the path of travel thereof, said mechanism including a lever pivoted at one end thereof to extend crosswise of said bucket, and a latch operated by the raising of said lever to dump the ing said bucket back to loading position after the initial pull thereon has raised the lever' and thereby dumped the load, said bucket having a swivel carried on said means, and said swivel containing a vertical portion of said line, so that upward movement of said line in said swivel operates said mechanism'to dump the load, and means to operate said connections.

5. An apparatusfor conveying material `from one place to another, comprising a track, a bucket, means traveling on said track to support the bucket, connections for operating said bucket back and forth on said track, mechanism for automatically dumping the load by reversing the motion of said bucket at 'any point in the path of travel thereof, and means to automatically lrestore the bucket to carrying condition before it reaches the loading position, said mechanism including a catch, and said connections comprising a line attached to an element of said mechanism, which element is arranged for operatin said latch to dump the load, and said line ueing arranged for pulling the bucket back to loading position after the initial pull thereon has operated said latch, said bucket having a swivel carried on said means, and said swivel containing a vertical portion of said line, so that upward movement of said line in said swivel operates said mechanism to dump the load, and means to operate said connections.

6. In combination, a track having a bucket mounted to travel thereon, mechanism to dump the load at any desired point along said track, a swivel to permit rotation of the bucket about a vertical axis, so that the bucket may turn around and dump at any point along said' track, devices to operate the bucket along its path of travel, a connection to control said mechanism at will and to return the bucket along said track to loading position, and means to automatically restore the bucket to carrying condition after the dumping of the load.

7. The structure of claim 6, as stated, said bucket being pivoted to tilt over and dump the load from one side thereof, when released by a pull on said connection, and said means being a weight to tilt the bucket back into operative relation to said mechanism.

8. The structure of claim 6, as stated, said connection extending downward through said swivel, to operate said mechanism, so that the load is released by upward movement of said connection in the swivel.

9. The structure of claim 6, as stated, having a spring to restore said connection and mechanism to the normal positions thereof relative to the bucket.

10.- The combination of a track, a carrier to travel on said track, a bucket having a bail, a swivel to support said bail on said carrier, dumping mechanism on said bail,

means to move the carrier forward on said track, and a line to draw the carrier backward, said line extending downward through said swivel to operate said mechanism, and means t'o automatically restore the bucket \to carrying condition while the bucket is turned in any direction on said swivel, so that the load is dumped at will by upward movement of the line in said swivel, and whereby said bucket can turn around and be dumped at different points along said track by the initial pull on said line.

11. The said apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, said mechanism comprising a lever pivoted on said bail, a latch pivoted on the bail, means to connect the movable end of said lever with said latch, a spring to hold said latch in locking position, and means on the bucket to engage said latch, said lever having its middle portion connected to the lower end of the depending portion of said line, with means to support the line on said carrier.

12. In combination, a track having a bucket mounted to travelthereon, a swivel to permit rotation of the bucket about a vertical aXis, so that the bucket may turn around freely at any pointl along said track, devices to operate the bucket along its path of travel, means operative in any rotated position of the bucket for at will controlling the bucket through said swivel to dump the load at any vdesired point along said track and for returning the bucket to loading position, whereby the bucket isunder control at all times and while free to turn in any direction, and means operable to automatically restore the bucket to carrying condition after `each dumping operation and before reaching the loading position.

13. The combination of a track, a traveler on said track, a carrying and dumping bucket, a swivel to support said bucket on said traveler, so that said bucket may turn freely about a vertical axis, means toy pull the bucket along the track, instrumentalities including a line operative in any rotated position of the bucket for at will controlling said bucket to dump the load at any point along said track, whereby the bucket is under control at all times and while free to turn in any direction, and means operable to automatically restore the bucket to carrying condition after each dumping operation and before reaching the loading position.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this th day of January, 1915.

JAMES c. FRENCH.

Witnesses:

RACHEL J. RICHARDSON, RosE E. SEHNEM. 

